bs Kaberi Dasgupta

“Tomorrow the earth ill be destroyed.”

To the average. inhab- tant of this planet, such

piece of news might be

f interest. © To a stu- ent, however, of greater -oncern would be an impend- ng chemistry test. ‘In fact, in the days preceding final ex- hms, a student’s world be- Fomes constricted to include bnly pens, paper, books, and he occasional meal. Thus on 19 December, it was with a sense of incredu- hlity, something like that felt by returning astronauts, that Iny friends and I finished our ast exam.

“So now what do we do

Feeling that celebration Was in order, we decided o go to the Biology Club arty. Unfortunately, how- ver, it was crowded there, nd we were all rather tired fter having written a 7:00 to :* P.M. exam. Thus we ft after an hour’s appear- nce.

“Let’s go somewhere to at something before we go ome,” suggested Susan, as e left the party. “I’m starv- ng. ”

Consequently, after some eliberation, Susan, Kim, erry, Jan, and I headed for Queen. (These are ot their real names, but my fiends are paranoid people ho refuse to reveal their rue identities. They will hake wonderful spies some bs)

Ice

Dairy

creams in nd, we sat down to discuss t Christmas plans, among her things. It was 11:40 M. Kerry suddenly glanced the only other occupied ble in the restaurant.

“That girl over there is Fearing at me, ” declared erry, in surprise.

“Don’t be silly,” I re- tted. “Why would she be Fearing at you 7?

“T don’t know, but she is.

“Well, they do seem be looking in our direc- pn,” observed Susan, de- ribing the scene for my nefit, as I could not see at was happening from here I was sitting. “There’s girl over there with three four guys. They look like Fhechool kids.

- Thursday January 21 1988

———

N THE REAL WORLDES 22

I soon had no need for a commentary, however, as the girl came striding to- ward us. She leaned for- ward,stretching her arms out onto the table.

66 2 Oe ok ok ok you.

”

These were, if I remem- ber correctly, her first words. Needless to say, we were a lit-

tle bewildered.

“What’s the matter? ” asked Susan, in concern. (Her concern was not feigned ; Susan is polite in all situa- tions. )

CO A HC 99 >” was the reply.

I should note at this point that the girl with the

. extensive vocabulary was not

attired in patched jeans, nor was she brandishing a knife.

The incongruity of her ap-

“T think you kids had better go home,” she said, addressing both the girl and her male friends, who were giggling at the other end. of the restaurant. ‘It’s past your bedtime.”

After Kim’s was more or less convinced that this was the end. It

hadn’t been a_ bad life, though this was not quite the way in which I had expected it to end....

Meanwhile, Susan had pulled Kim back down into a sitting position.

“Look, ” began the girl, abandoning her favourite word, perhaps in surprise at Kim’s outburst, ‘*We’re just

speech, I

trying to drink over there...”

DRINK. Maybe she was drunk. However I could not smell any alcohol on her breath. Maybe she was just insane.

“..and you’re' making too much noise.”

“All right, ” said Susan, “we'll be quieter.”

C*KHHK I Was the girl’s

time

cheek. “Leave my friend alone,

warned Kim.

- The girl’s knocked Kim’s

glasses across the restaurant.

she jabbed Susan’s

”

The next moment, Kim, who had been sitting be- tween a partition and Susan, had leaped out of her seat and onto the girl.

Pulling another’s hair, they reached the service counter where the

one

Dairy Queen employees were working, oblivious to the sit- uation. I was certain that this was some sort of night- mare: things like this were only supposed to happen in New York.

We heard a crash. Kim returned and resumed her seat.

“What asked Susan.

“T threw garbage can,” rubbing her head.

The girl had returned to her friends, who seemed to

happened ?”

her into a

replied Kim,

be enjoying the situation im-

later, two more girls joined them. “Let’s go,” I suggested. “We. can’t. go replied Kim. “Oh.” Meanwhile, Jan and Kerry, like me, had re-acquired the faculty of speech, “Pm Kerry. “No kidding,” said Jan. The girl, accompanied by

yet,”

shaking,” said

the two new girls was com- ing towards us again, though somewhat unobtrusively. “Not again,” I thought. This time, however, our remained a_ few feet away. Girl number one

observers

was explaining the situation to her friends.

“She was laughing at me, and then she punched me in the face,” explained the girl, pointing at Kim.

“Her ?” asked one of the friends, in surprise. ( Kim, like the rest of us, did not look particularly threat- ening. )

response. “¢*****, . ‘This mensely. A few minutes : Scaeated 16 ed Se Dairy Queen... continued on page 10 foundedness. ys " re meen mK mic > xk x Ri< He

“What do you want?” demanded Kim, in tones that lacked the diplomacy of Su- 5 san’s words. I noticed that Kim’s fists were clenched, and Susan was whispering } something to her, appar- ently tryig to calm her down. Kerry, Jan, and I, however, were in a daze, looking in amazement from the strange girl to Susan and Kim. %

EERSEES,: How old’ are

you, anyway ? ”’This was the

first indication that she could #

speak in full sentences. Leen

one,’ *replied Susan, obliging

as always. 66% A ee

you,” declared

the girl, pounding the table : with her fists. Perhaps she thought that Susan was ly- ing, though will not pretend to understand what was go- ing on in the girl’s mind. It is true, however, that Susan does not look her age ; one might even have trouble be- lieving that she is over fif- teen.

blood pressure seemed to be rising with each repetition of the girl’s favourite word. This time Kim stood in her seat, x desite Susan’s efforts to keep her down.

Kim’s

<x

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